Precious and Fragile Things
by The-Other-Ghostwriter
Summary: Todd returns from the nut house to find nothing waiting for him back home. He enters House 777 looking for shelter, but instead found a new home, a new purpose for life, and two new friends all-too-willing to help him become the new residential Maniac.
1. Chapter 1

_**"Precous and fragile things  
Need special handling  
My God, what have we done to you?"**_

* * *

**Nowhere to Go**

If you were to look at house 779, you wouldnt notice much about it. TWo stories, clean paintjob, and a nice lawn. You wouldnt notice anything otu of the ordinary. You wouldnt know that aliens visited it at least twice a month on Tuesday. And you most definitely woudnt know that a kid lived there.

But a kid did live there. An 11-year-old kid, home fresh from the loloney bin. He had come home to an empty house and his room cleaned out. And there he was, lying in fetal position on the bare floor.

Todd Casil didnt know what god he had offended to deserve what he got. The only possessions he had to his name were the clothes on his back and an old teddy bear that once talked to him, but didnt say much anymore. He supposed the electroshock therapy had somthing to do with it. He held the bear tightly to him, watching a small bug crawl on the floor in front of him. His parents were gone right now -probably enjoying themselves without the burden of an unwanted kid- and had not been home when the bus dropped him off. He came home to no parents and no room to call his own.

He was alone.

Todd heaved a sight and squeezed his bear, Shmee. He had been home for three horus now. But there was nothing to do and nowhere else to go. So he waited. And waited. Months spent at a time in a padded cell for one had prepared him for this; three hours was nothing.

He was close to dozing off when he heard the front door open. he shot up from his spot on the floor and ran to his door before hearing voices.

"I thought they said the kid would be brought back today..." Todd felt a lump in his throat; he was still 'The Kid', even to his mother.

"I hope not," his father's voice said. "If they do and mess up this dinner party, I' swear, I'll just have to kill the kid to get rid of that little problem!"

Todd felt hot and icy cold at the same time. HIs hewart pounded agianst his small ribcage, and his grip on Shmee was iron-tight. "Oh no, Shmee!" he shipsered out of habit. "He's gonna kill me!" He could almost -ALMOST- hear Shmee reply, 'Told you so'. Almost. But right now, he had bigger problems. Like, getting out alive.

He looked around and remembered -the window. The Crazy Neighbor Man -whose name escaped him at the moment- had always come to his window. He rand to his and opened it, noticing that there was a trellis -why hadnt he noticed THAT before?- that ran right up to his window. ANYONE wanting to kidnap a kid could use it. He tucked Shmee into his hoodie and zipped it up, then slid out of the window and onto the trellis. He heared his father ascending the stairs, and quickly shimmied down, skipping the last three feet, and dropped to the ground.

Todd ran for the nearest thing -an old bush beside the house next door- and waited.

"...I thought I closed this thing," he heard his father say. The window closed and Todd heared the faint 'click' of the window locks. He was officially locked out. He waited a moment, then leaned against he brick of the house.

'Now what?' he mentally asked himself, half expecting an answer, and of course receiving none. He really had nowhere to go. He sat there behind the bush for a few minutes before relizing exactly which house he was leaning against.

House 777.

Todd gulped. 'Well,' he heard -himself?- say, 'why not?' He shakily stood up and walked to the front of the house. Desicrated, broken down, and filthy; it hadnt changed an iota. He summuned up whatever nerve he had and reached forward to knock on the door.

Nothing. No answer. He tried again. Ditto. Acting on despiration and shock-induced will, he reached and turned the knob. the door opened and Todd could smell dust, emptiness, and old death, much like a cemetary, only inclosed in a space. Against every part of his logical mind screaming 'NO!', he stepped inside.

It was incrdibly filthy, Todd noticed. And being ion a mental ward with clean-as-a-pin rooms, this irked him somewhat. But other than that he felt...

...At home.

Aside formt he dirty floor, there was the basics of a living room -couch, TV, tables, and even a lamp. Todd quietly shut the door behind him and decided to expore a little. There were broken items scattered over the floor, chunks of wall missing, and about one window still intact; the rest were crudely boarded over. The kitchen was normal-looking enough, save for the lack of dishes and cabinet doors. There was one bedroom that had a bed box with no mattress -or anything else, for that matter. A single bathroom with a rusted tub and blood-stained walls and floors.

There was one more door that had a lock, but Todd couldnt find a key to open it.

After exploring, Todd sat down on the couch and sighed. It would seem that this place was his best bet at the moment. He might as well make the best of it. He took Shmee out of his hoodie and hugged him, then laid down on the frayed couch and closed his eyes.

* * *

_'...Oi, didja just feel that?'_

_'...'_

_'Hey, asshole, wake up!'_

_'What the fuck do you want, Eff?'_

_'Someone's heare.'_

_'Duh. It's a house, you psychotic dick. People inhabit them.'_

_'Not like THAT, D. This one's like the last one. This one's a Lock.'_

_'Yippie. Now shut up.'_

_'...Asshole.'_

* * *

Todd had an odd dream. Not particularly terrifying, but odd nonetheless. He dreamt of a wall. It was guarded by two figures. The first one handed Todd a bucket full of something, then pointed at the wall. The other one handed Todd a gun and pointed to Todd's head. Todd dropped the gun, then threw the bucket at the wall, which spashed red with blood. The first figure cackled evilly.

_'Bingo.'_


	2. Chapter 2

**Voices**

Todd woke up in the middle of the night, wide-awake and hungry. Hungry, and without anything to eat. He sighed and shifted around, trying to get comfortable again, then felt something under him. He reached between the cusions and brought up a tattered something. A wallet. He sat up and opened it, nearly dropping it when he saw the licence in the clear front pocket.

Johnny...THAT was his name! The Scary Neighbor Man! The licence was long-expired; ten years, at least. But todd recognized him. Maybe Johnny had left it here, lost it, and didnt bother to find it. Todd opened it further and almost dropped it again when he found close to $1,500 worth of 100, 50, and 20 dollar bills.

Well, he thought dryly, THAT solved the food issue. He could probably get some new clothes at the thrift store, if the outlet was still there. His stomach growling reminded him of this current need of food. He took $20 out of the wallet and stashed the rest back into the sofa before slipping out of the house and to the nearest 24/7 store.

Apparantly, one of the many deities Todd prayed to for safe travel listened, because no one on the streets bothered him, let alone noticed him. He picked out some cup ramen, Fiz Wiz, snack cakes, soups, and root beer, then paid the cashier, who long-changed him. Todd wasnt going to jinx it by thanking the cashier, and he walked back 'home' to fix his ramen. He was halfway through running water before acually realizing he was _running water_. The plumbing worked. He then deftly notced that he had turned the kitchen lights on. The electricity worked, too.

Could everything still be working? he turned on the TV. Cable, too.

Odd. Very odd. It was like Johnny had never left six years ago. But from the state of the house, it really had been empty for all those years. But at the moment, Todd was hungry; he finished boiling the water in a clean pot and ate his ramen with some cherry Fiz Wiz. He watched a late-night adult cartoon marathon, some two-bnit comedian, and ten infomercials before drifting off again at dawn.

He had another dream; the two figures were back, pointing to the wall and whispering. Todd couldnt make out what they were saying, but then the wall cracked and something behind it let out a growl. The figures pointed to a bucket of blood, and Todd understood. He spashed the wall with the blood, and the cracks disappeared. The growls stopped. The two figures reached out for him, and Todd reached for them.

Then he woke up.

No wall. No figures.

He thought he heard faint laughter in his head.

* * *

_'The kid understands, D. He knows what's here. WE'RE here!'_

_'Dont get your hopes up, Eff. He's just a kid.'_

_'Near-sighted fool. You dont get it! This one's THE one! Not like that little shit Johnny! This one's our ticket into reality!'_

_'Not that I cherish the idea...'_

_'Shut up. Spoil sport.'_

* * *

The rest of the week was more or less the same as the first night. He did go to the thrift store, and found some new clothes; a while new wardrobe for just $15. He had also straightened up the house to a state of tolerable filth.

On the eight day, he was cleaning out a cabinet and he found a key; a simple little key. He contemplated it for a moment before remembering the locked door. he tried the key out; it fit, and he turned the key, hearing a 'click', and opened the door. The staircase leading down to a basement of sorts was dark. Todd felt around for a lightswitch and found one; he flicked it.

Bloodstains splattered the staircase and walls. It was like an alleyway to Hell. Curiousity overrode ominous alarms going off in his head, and he carefully descended down. The staircase was long; it took a full minute before he came to another floor. There were two tunnelways; the left one had no door, and Todd could see a small, handwritten sign on t he wall that said, "Squee's Basement".

Todd suddenly felt very alone. Thinking back on things, he realized that Johnny had been so much more than a Scary Neighbor Man; months on the shrink's couch brought back memories of being rescued, taken care of, and looked after. Aside from Pepito the Antichrist, Johnny had been the only person who gave a damn about him.

"Squee." He touched the word with his fingertips. That had been the name Johnny gave him.

_"My name's Johnny, but you can call me 'Nny for short. And who might YOU be?"_

Squee. He almost missed the pseudonym, despite the meanness kids had put b ehind it. But Johnny had given it to him as a term of endearment.

_"'Todd'? I like 'Squee' better."_

Quite frankly, so did Todd. He sighed and turned to the other tunnel. This one had a door with no sign, but it had an odd insignia -**Z?**. It told Todd nothing of what lay behind it, but he held his breath and pushed the door open.

Cue jaw-drop.

The room was filled with...torture devices. Torture devices that had obviously been used before, if his memory served him well of hearing those horrific sounds from his old room next door. He looked at them for awhile before descending into another room. And another room. And another. Room after room of torture and killing devices, restraints, and buckets much like the one in his dream. He decended down several floors of the such before finding one room in particular that made his hair stand on end.

It was completely empty, but there was...

...The Wall.

The SAME wall from his dream! Todd stared at it for the longest time before hearing something. Whispers. He could barely make out what they were saying.

_'...here! He's here!'_

_'Shut up, idiot! You're too excited over something so trivial! I bet he doesnt even know we exist!'_

_'Fuck you!'_

He couldnt help it. "*...squee...*"

The disembodied arguing stopped for a moment.

_'...You were SAYING, fucktard?'_

Todd turned and ran out of the room, out of the basement levels, and right back up to the house. He slammed the door shut and leaned against it, panting as his heart beat a million times a minute.

Who...or WHAT...was THAT?


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry for the delay! No kill me!

* * *

**

**Initiation**

Todd didnt go near the basement door for days. He had most definitely heard voices down there, voices that were most definitely not his own. Nor were they Shmee's from what he could remember. But they felt like they were coming from his own head.

In his head...but not HIS voices. And they knew him. They knew he was there. And that wall...the figures...Did the voices belong to those figures? And what was behind the wall? And why did he fit into this?

It was almost a week later did he summon up the courage to go find out. He turned the lock and descended the stairs once more to go find the room with the wall. He did, and nearly had a heart attack when he saw a crack in the wall that hadnt been there about a week ago. It was small, but Todd felt scared regardless.

_-'Well, well, look who returns.'-_

Todd jumped and resisted running back upstairs. _-'You can hear us, cant you, kid?'-_ He nodded beginning to sweat.

_-'You're scaring him, Eff,'-_ the second voice added in an offhand manner.

_-'Whatever'- _the voice dubbed 'Eff' grumbled back. Todd felt his knees grow weak, but resisted falling. From the wall, he almost felt an aura of malice.

_-'You gotta feed it.'-_ The other voice was speaking now.

"Feed it?" Todd mumbled back. "Feed it with what?" He heard Eff snicker.

_-'I think you already know, SQUEE,'- _he drawled back. _-'You dont think 'Nny killed those people just shits and giggles, didja?'-_

Todd swallowed hard. "Blood," he said.

_-'Ding ding ding, we have a winner!'-_ Eff shouted. _-'Such a smart lad we have now. Now tell me, smart boy, if it's blood ou need, then what do you need to do to get it?'-_

Memories of mutilation and slashing surfaced in Todd's mind, and he felt sick. "I...I cant do THAT...!" he exclaimed. "I'm just - !"

_-'- a kid?'-_ the other voice cut in. _ -'Trust me, boy, there have been Locks younger than you that have done the same thing. You were just tapped a little early.'-_

"...Lock?" Todd muttered. "What's...?"

_-'All will be explained, kid,'- _Eff said. _ -'For now...you need to give the wall something to...uh...tide it over, if you get my drift.'-_

Todd unconsciously edged back from the wall.

_-'What Eff means, boy,'-_ the other voice said, _-'is that all you need to do is touch it. That's it.'-_

"That's it." Easy enough to say for a voice. Todd let out another small 'squee' of fear, then walked toward the wall, feeling the hair on his scalm rise with each step. He finally inched his way to the wall and stared it it, almost imagining he could see it breathe...

He touched it, his palm flat on the surface. For a moment, nothing happened. Then...

"OW!"

Todd jerked his hand back as a sharp stab of pain seared into it. On the wall, a smear of his blood remained. His palm held a large gash, like a knife blade has slashed it. His eyes watered a little as he pressed the cuff of his sleeve into his hand.

_-'Yeah, it hurts, kid.'-_

_-'But not as much as what's ahead, boy.'-_

Todd backed up from the wall and looked around. "...Who are you?" he asked the voices. "What are you?" The voice known as Eff cackled.

_-'Curious lad. Very well. The name's Mr. Fuck.'-_

_-'And I am Psychodoughboy. D-Boy for short,'-_ the other voice said.

_-'As for WHAT we are,'-_ Eff - Mr. Fuck - added, _-'we are figments of a figment. That figment behind the Maestro behind the wall.'- _

Todd peeked behind him at the wall. "What is it?"

_-'Trust me kid,'-_ Eff said. -'_You dont want to know.'-_

Todd had a feeling Eff was right. Peeking at the wall again, he quietly left the room, unwittingly taking more than a new scar on his palm with him.

* * *

The voices of Eff and D-Boy didnt really surface until three days later. Todd had spent those days exploring the underground rooms, keeping clear of The Wall. He had rarely left the house except to get more food. The house was now livable by his standards.

He also began experiencing odd sleeping habits. He seemed to sleep right through the days and become highly active at night. His dreams remained consistent - always with the two figures - who were Psychodoughboy and Mr. Fuck - and The Wall. The figures now had voices who talked to him, but no real form other than shadows. The Wall remained uncracked, but Todd could hear a gurgling rumble, like it was hungry.

Out of the blue, while Todd was watching some boring infomercial, he heard, _-'This is boring, change the channel.'-_

He deftly changed the channel without thinking, then paused. "...Mr. Eff?"

_-'...Damn.'-_

_-'Nice going Eff, you retard!'-_

"You guys are HERE?"

A sigh from D-Boy. _-'Yes we're here. In your head.'-_

"...Kinda like how Shmee was?"

_-'No,'- _Eff put in. _ -'Shmee was one of YOUR voices. We're figments of a figment. We're just here.'-_

_-'...You gonna tell him EVERYTHING Eff!'- _D-Boy snapped.

_-'Why the hell not? He'll find out anyway, let's just knock the nitty-gritty out of the way!'-_ Eff snapped back.

"...Do you guys belong to.." Todd paused. "...The Wall?"

Silence.

_-'Yes,'-_ D-Boy said.

_-'NO!'-_ Eff shouted, making Todd jump. _ -'No! We DONT belong to the damn...damn...MOOSE behind that Wall!'-_

"'Moose?'" Todd and D-Boy queried at once.

_-'For the sake of simplicity, let's call it Moose.'-_

"...Okay..." Todd said slowly. He got up and snatched a soda from the fridge. "The sick part is I'm actually used to this."

_-'Used to what?'- _D-Boy asked.

"Insane crap," Todd took a swig of soda. "Totally used to it."

_-'Then you're mostly prepared for the work of a waste lock,'- _Eff said. _-'The Wall needs...a renewal of blockage. You have to keep The Wall wet. That little of donation of blood wont sate it for long.'-_

Todd shook his head and walked back to the couch. "...I just dont think I can...kill people," he said. "I'm just not cut out for it."

_-'You're perfectly cut out for it!'- _Eff said. _ -'You have the perfect disposition for being a waste lock of...Moose.'- _There was a contemplative silence from Todd. _-'By the way, you have three days to feed it before it gets out.'-_

"SQUEE!"

_-'Nice job, jackass!'-_

_-'Shut up, D-Boy!'-_

JTHMJTHMJTHMJTHMJTHM

Todd barely slept for the next two days.

He tried to ignore Mr. Fuck and Psychodoughboy's arguing, and also tried to ignore the feeling of evil that seared through him every time he came close to the basement door.

It was the end of day three, and Todd had just finished shopping at the thrift store for new cooking utensiles (the handle had fallen off the good pot while he was boiling water for ramen). He was walking down his street and walked in front of his parents' house, not really paying any attention, when he heard a loud and offended "HEY!"

He turned and 'squee-ed' when he saw his father glaring at him from the front porch. "They finally let you out of the mental ward?"

Todd felt a flash of anger. "I've BEEN out for the past two weeks. Not that you care."

"Damn right, I dont care!" his father snarled back. "About time you figured that out!" With that, he turned and went into the house, slamming the door behind him.

Todd stood in the street, staring at House 779 for the longest time, then numbly stared over at his - HIS - own house. The familiar tingling acknowledging on of the voices surfaced.

_-'What a waste of human life,'-_ Eff hissed. _-'He doesnt deserve to live. He's shit.'-_

Todd walked into his house and dropped his purchases on the floor, then flopped down on the couch. He stared blankly into space for what seemed like hours.

_-'The Wall thins,'-_ D-Boy commented absently. _-'You better do something about it tonight, or face...Moose. You need blood.'-_

Todd stared off, not answering.

_-'...You know, Squee,'- _Eff began slyly,_ -'...you can knock out two birds with one stone here. And you'll never be caught.'-_

The boy sighed and laid down on the couch, still not answering. He fell asleep almost immediately.

* * *

_-'His misery is delicious...'-_ D-Boy purred.

_-'Forget it, Psychodoughboy!'-_ Eff shouted. _-'Get over that fucking habit! I wont let this one break!'-_

_-'...Force of habit. Still trying.'-_

Todd saw the figures in front of the wall, but saw that they were more...fleshed out. There were details now. The one with D-Boy's voice had strange eyes; they were milky white with spirals in them. He had what looked like black liquid drips falling halfway down his face. Mr. Fuck had bright red eyes with arrows pointing from the corners. That was all he could see so far, other than shadow.

_-'Well try harder!'- _ Mr. Eff turned to Todd, and the boy could see the red eyes narrow in amusement. _-'Well, well...hello, Todd.'- _He slithered toward Todd and practically coiled around the boy. _ -'The Wall must be fed. Those people must die.'- _He held up his hand and a large knife appeared in it. _-'You're a waste lock. This is your destiny now.'- _He put the knife in Todd's hand. _-'Embrace it, Squee.'-_

Todd's fingers wrapped around the handle of the knife. Mr. Fuck grinned broadly.

_-'Score.'-_


	4. Chapter 4

**First Kill**

Todd woke up and looked at his hand. The knife was not there, but he could still feel it in his hand. His eyes hardened in the dark, and he numbly stood up and walked down to the basement and stopped at the base. He looked at the tunnel that lead to the basement of his old house, then touched the sign before walking down the tunnel.

It was completely dark, but it was a straight line with no hindrances. He walked the distance, and finally found where it came to House 779's basement, behind an almost-empty shelf. He quietly nudged it away from the wall and stepped into the basement area.

The whole area was cluttered, and Todd absently recognized a few of his carelessly-thrown possessions. Beyond all of these, he also found an axe and a bucket.

Perfect.

The basement door was unlocked. That made this much easier. He crept inside the dark house, relying on memory to make his way up the stairs and down to his parents' room. The door was slightly ajar, and there was a soft light on. He peeked inside and cringed with revolt when he found his parents in the middle of having sex.

He hated them. They didnt care. They deserved to die. He gripped the axe tighter in his hand and slinked into the room. He stalked up to them. His mother looked over her husband's shoulder and froze when she saw her son. Todd glared back, putting the bucket down to grip the axe in both hands and swing it back.

"...Todd."

He swung the axe down. His mother screamed and his father died instantly from a severed spinal column at the base of the neck. His mother shoved the dead body off of her and rand for the bathroom, but tripped over the bucket on the floor.

Todd jerked the axe loose from his father and stalked over to his mother, who struggled to get back up. He swung the axe into her leg, keeping her from escaping. Screaming through her tears, she stared helplessly up at her homicidal son.

"Todd...!" she gasped, backing up to the wall. "Todd...! Why...?" Todd swung the handle of the axe over his shoulder.

"Gee," he snarled sarcastically, "I wonder why, MOM. Maybe because you and that dead bastard werent good parents. Who cared if you didnt plan in me? I was your SON! You could've at LEAST given at damn about me!" He hoisted the axe over his shoulder. "...That, and I have a Wall to feed to keep a Moose from coming out." He swung it back. "Say hello to Pepito for me, BITCH."

The axe split her head in half, silencing her forever.

Todd jerked the axe loose and set it aside, then picked up the bucket and let the blood from both his parents drip into it little by little until it was filled. Then he sat back for a moment.

His father was still on the bed, eyes wide open in perpetual shock. His mother sat slumped against the wall, a deep crevice in the middle of her head.

Blood everywhere.

Blood...the Wall.

Right.

Todd snatched up the bucket and carried it down to the basement, taking the axe with him. He carefully carried the bucket through the tunnel and the other underground rooms before finally stepping into the room with the Wall.

There were paintbrushes that had once been used already in the room waiting for him. He numbly dropped the axe and picked up a paintbrush to get to work.

He was careful not to let any get on him, and finished only after there were mere smears left in the bucket. He dropped the paintbrush in the empty bucket and stood back to observe. He felt nothing from the other side of the wall. It was content.

_-'Well done, dear boy!'-_ Mr. Eff congratulated.

_-'Admirable for a first kill,'-_ Psychodoughboy commented. _-'Artistic, almost. It had emotion...passion...'-_

_-'Cut the bullshit, D-Boy,'- _Eff cut in. _-'Kissass'-_

Todd ignored him on the whole, and instead turned and left the room to go back upstairs. He shut and locked the door, went over to the couch, and laid down to continue sleeping like nothing had even woken him up. Just as he drifted off, the sun peeked in through the boards.

* * *

Todd didnt eat much of anything the next day. He didnt do much of anything, really. He mostly stared at the TV at whatever happened to be on. The second day was the same, only he didnt sleep, either. He remained rooted to the couch, watching episode after episode of a 24-hour Full House marathon, silently brooding at the sheer perfection of the storyline.

He was running on 45 hours of no sleep by now, but he barely blinked as he kept his contemptuous glare on the TV screen.

_-'Not that I CHERISH the sight of three blonde kids resolving their life problems in 20-minute increments,'-_ Eff said with a hint of disgust, _-'but dont you think you should eat something? Growing kids need their ramen.'-_

No answer.

_-'At least take a bath, Todd,'-_ D-Boy added. _-'Clear your mind, and all that rot.'-_

No answer, but Todd quietly got up and went into the bathroom to run some bathwater. He could faintly feel the gist of Eff flip off D-Boy, who had gotten the best reaction. He stripped off hoodie, and pants, then sat in the bathtub, staring at the chrome plumbing.

Silence ensued for about an hour, then Todd let out a shuddery sigh, then began screaming. He clutched his head with both hands and bent his knees to his chest, curling up on himself in attempt to keep everything out.

"MOMMY! DADDY!" he screamed, reliving everything he had done in the third person; seeing his parents die and himself killing them in an uncharacteristically cruel way in cold blood. Blood...blood EVERYWHERE...!

Through the horror film of his own memory, he could faintly feel what was similar to a calming caress; not physical, but rather, mental. It actually calmed him down enough to hear the voices of his constant companions.

_-'Calm the fuck down, Squee!'- _Mr. Fuck was shouting. _-'Calm DOWN!'-_

_-'Quit yelling at him, Eff, you're not helping!'-_

Todd did calm down after a few minutes, and just sat in the lukewarm water, hiccoughing and superfluously wiping the tears away with wet hands. He regressed to silent crying, hugging his knees to his chest.

_-'The first time is always the hardest,'- _Mr. Fuck said. -_-'It gets easier. Much easier. You might even learn to enjoy the work you do. You're young, Squee. You have years ahead of you to get used to it.'-_

_-'And if you dont,'-_ D-Boy added, _-'there's always the option of killing yourself.'-_

_-'WHAT THE FUCK, D!'-_

_-'SORRY! FORCE OF HABIT!'-_

Todd calmed himself down for the next half-hour, until he began shivering from the cold water. He quietly got out and dried off, then changed into a new hoodie (he was quite fond of those) and jeans. He ran a hand through his messy hair and sat back on the couch, hugging Shmee to his chest. He was silent for the longest time.

"...Shmee used to tell me," he began after awhile, "that my parents didnt care about me. He kept telling me that I should burn the house down. Burn the school down. I didnt listen." He teared up again. "...I should've listened to him...! Not I cant even hear him anymore!"

_-'Damn electroshock'-_ D-Boy commented. _-'It was supposed to 'make the voices go away', but instead it blocked off your voice of truth. Most people take medication to knock it out. You might never get that voice back.'-_

-_'That's why you have us,'-_ Eff added. _-'WE'RE your voices now. Yours or not, we're here to guide you. We're your parents now, Squee. Listen to US.'-_

Todd squeezed Shmee tighter. "He said he was a 'trauma sponge'. That if I didnt have him...I'd turn out like..."

_-'Precisely,'- _D-Boy said. _-'Those doctors took away the only thing keeping you from attaining waste lock status. Without him, you would've heard us through Johnny's head every time he came to see you. The doctors made you what you are by taking your trauma strainer away.'-_

Todd felt a now-familiar flash of anger. They were right. The doctors HAD taken it all from him. He remembered pleading with them not to do the electroshock; that he NEEDED Shmee. It was the only think keeping him sane. But they didnt listen. And since then, Todd had felt anger, angst, hate, and now homicidal tendencies. They had taken what kept the bad things out.

...And they were going to pay for it.

_-'That's the spirit, boy,'- _Mr. Eff said. _-'I say we take a run by the 24/7. I think we need to pick up some gasoline and matches.'-_

_-'Loot the house first,'- _D-Boy cut in. _-'I'm sure your ex-parents wont need that food or money.'-_

_-'So true,'-_ Eff added.

Todd stood up and put his shoes on, then grabbed Johnny's wallet and stuffed it into his pocket before walking down to the corner store. The clerk didnt even seem to notice that an 11-year-old boy had bought gasoline, oil, vodka, flammable rags, matches, and a cherry Fiz-Wiz.

Todd decided to take the basement way to House 779. It took a few trips to carry back the good food in the house, some of his own possessions, the DVD player, and snitched his parents' wallets, collecting altogether another $1,145 in cash, and even more, he was sure, in credit cards.

He opened up all the doors and tossed in Molotov cocktails, then set the bottom floor on fire before retreating back to the basement and sealing the tunnel opening shut. When he got back to his house, he picked up the phone and dialed 911.

"The house next door is on fire!" He told the operator as frantically as he could. The fire department came not ten minutes later, but by that time, the house was in a hopeless condition. Todd watched everything from between the boards on his windows as nobody bothered to cross the property border to ask questions.

He was just fine with that. He went into his room and taped up pictures he had drawn as a kid; of Shmee, Johnny, Pepito and the aliens. He also set up the small kid's mattress that didnt really fit on the larger frame, but he wanted anyway. He put the food away, put the cash and cards in Johnny's wallet, then sat down to watch something other than the news about next door.


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry for the delay! Here we are, back for more!**

* * *

**Eff and D**

The same dream, the same Wall...but the figures were...different again.

Mr. Fuck was more more fleshed out; Todd could see that he was wearing what looked like a chef's uniform, only it was purple with black stripes and the **Z?** over his chest. His eyes seemed darker and more alive.

Psychodoughboy was pure black and white with the same style outfit, only with short striped sleeves and the word FUCK over his chest. Todd could see thick black lining around his mouth.

-_'I dont think I've seen a nicer pyro disaster,'_- Mr. Eff commented, his smile disturbingly insane. _'-Johnny was more of an explosion type of guy, but YOU Squee...you like to see it burn!'-_

'_-Once again, wanton violence has solved another problem,_'- D-Boy added. _-'Where did you learn to make Molotov cocktails?"_

Todd got over the surprise of seeing them more real and fleshed out, and said, "One of the older guys at the psyche ward liked to tell me the story of every arson he ever committed. In vivid detail."

_-'Nice guy,'-_Eff remarked.

"...You guys look..." Todd began, not really knowing what to say. The figments looked at each other.

_-'...Who would've thunk 'Nny's paintjob would've stuck?'-_ Eff pondered. _-'Not that I'M complaining.'-_

-'I am,'- D-Boy replied, pointing to his chest. -_'I just dont know why he had to paint YOUR name on ME.'-_

-'Live with it.'- Eff turned to Todd and grinned again. -'It would seem that we become more real the more you embrace your waste lock distinction.'-

"But why?" Todd asked. "I mean...who made you?" He pointed to the Wall, and Eff scowled.

_-'...Yeah,'-_ he replied grudgingly. _-'And it hate it. I have problems with servitude. You're a smart kid, Squee, so I wont bullshit around. We were originally created to BREAK locks, not help them.'- _He pointed to himself. _-'I was created to drive Johnny deeper and deeper into insanity.'-_

_-'And I was crated to drive him to kill himself,'-_ D-Boy added. _-'Because waste locks cant be killed by anyone but themselves.'-_

Todd unconsciously backed away.

_-'BUT,'-_ Eff cut in, reeling Todd back in, _-'even after Johnny ended up shooting himself (long story, wont get into it) and Moose took us back we remained...alive. WE still existed. But we were weak. People are drawn to this house, but very few stay more than a day before going mad. Nevertheless, they fueled us little by little, until YOU came.'-_

_-' By that time,'-_ D-Boy said, _-'I began to realize that reintegration with...Moose...was now impossible. Johnny had been kept alive long enough for us to walk, even when we were ghoulishly-painted pastry stands, and the people who came here and heard us little by little fed our realness.'-_

_-'I convinced him that homicide and realness beat suicide and nothingness by a longshot,'-_ Eff took turn. _-'So we waited for about five years for someone like you: a waste lock to help keep Moose in, and help us out.'-_

Todd's mind reeled with all of this information. He stared at the Wall, where he could see the blood had dried, and was disappearing.

_-'You have to keep the Wall wet,'-_ Eff said. _-'It cant go without fresh blood for more then ten days, or Moose will get out, and reality goes kaput.'-_

_-'We really should've known that YOU would be the next waste lock for this juristiction,'-_ D-Boy said. _-'It's bascially a fact that the title of waste lock is passed from one to another. Unconsciously, Johnny chose YOU to be his heir. All waste locks have had close interaction with previous waste locks.'-_

Todd shifted a little. "...Johnny said...I was different," he recalled. "Pepito noticed too." He looked up at Eff. "Do you think he knew?"

_-'Hard to say,'-_ D-Boy said, shrugging. _-'A waste lock's juristiction isnt in either Heaven or Hell. Their job is for the HERE. The NOW. Sure, the souls go to Heaven or Hell, but the waste lock his or herself remains here, on this plane of existence. They dont belong anywhere else.'-_

Todd wrung his hands together. "...Will I be just like Johnny?" he asked. "He was pretty crazy."

_-'He got stupid,'-_ D-Boy scoffed. _-'He used to be a magnificent artist. But I'm afraid that we might've had a hand in that. We took reality from him to become real. He lost his creativity, his intelligence, and his sanity.'_-

"But wont that happen to me?" Todd asked.

_-'Not if you're careful,-_ Eff said. _-'We told you what was going on. Johnny didnt find out until he was in Hell.'-_

"So why tell me? What makes me different?" Todd pressed. The figments looked at each other.

_-'We want to be real,'-_ Eff finally said. _-'It took YEARS for us to get to the point where we could move. You've been with us for less than a month, and already we're taking form. You can distinguish our voices from your own, and you are aware of us. We may be real before the year is out, at this rate. And we need you to help us. You're very unique, Squee. You're a FAR cry from Johnny. Remember that.'-_

* * *

Todd jerked awake suddenly, now aware that there was a sound from somewhere in his house. He held his breath and listened.

"You sure no one lives here?"

"Positive, man. No one even comes near this place."

"You got the goods?"

"Hell yeah. Enough to last us the fucking week!"

Todd clenched his hands into his blanket. Some junkies had come to his house to get high! This was HIS domain!

_-'That's right, Squee,'-_ Mr. Fuck crooned. _-'I think those machines downstairs need to be exersized again...'-_

_-'I concur,'-_D-Boy agreed.

Todd waited a little while, waiting for those junkies to get nice and high, then grabbed the crowbar shashed next to his bed and crept silently out of his room and into the living room, where there were three highschool-aged boys laughing and smoking by candlelight and flashlight. He didnt waste any time, and swung hard, hitting the first one with a loud THWACK!

The other two were too high to really notice, and Todd knocked them out too. He threw the crowbar aside, then unlocked the basement door and grabbed the first junkie by the shirt and dragged him to the door and kicked him down the stairs. The other two followed, and Todd began dragging them through the Z? labeled door, surprised he even had the strength to do that.

He absently wondered how Johnny did it. Johnny had been really skinny, looking barely strong enough to lift him as a six-year-old. Maybe it was a waste-lock thing.

The first device had a cross-shaped table where he put the first guy in face-up. At the head of the table was enough room to let the head hang free, and to one side was a large blade that would swing in an arc to slice the head off. He strapped him in and turned to another room for another device.

The second one was X-shaped, where the victem would be put on spread-eagled and their limbs chained. A strap around their torso kept them in place. A switch with different settings lay next to it, depicting that it would tear off any combination of limps, or completely dismember them altogether.

The third room had a guillitine for the chest, and Todd was reminded of The Pit and the Pendelum. Instead, Todd strapped the young man in face-down.

Then he went back upstairs to dispose of the drugs, stash the flashlights for later, and grab a root beer.

* * *

_-'You gonna let 'em soak up the terror ambience?'-_D-Boy asked todd, who put in a DVD to watch.

"Mm hm," Todd replied, sipping his root beer.

_-'What are we watching tonight, then?"-_Eff asked.

"Girls Gone Wild."

_-'REALLY?'-_

"No, it's The da Vinci Code."

_-'...You little shit.'-_

Todd only grinned.


	6. Chapter 6

**DEVI**

Those now-clean junkies had quite a bit of cash on them, Todd thought as he put the excess paper money in a lock box, along with some of the jewelry and a pretty nifty sterling silver lighter (D-Boy had an eye for genuine precious metal and stone).

He had waited until the three men had gotten clean enough to realize the true nature of their predicaments, then went in to visit them, one by one. He had heard their sob stories, listened as they swore up and down on their mama's graves to never do drugs again. Todd almost went soft, but Mr. Fuck's firm voice kept him from releasing them.

He watched them die. He watched their blood drain into a pool, then down a small drain that D-Boy told him collected in a large bin near the Wall for paining. He listened to them scream for mercy until they were dead.

After that, he passed out.

Mr. Eff told him that Johnny used to pass out too, before he got used to it. He said it too would pass. Then Todd went to the collective vat and painted the Wall again, sensing more contentment from Moose.

* * *

Weeks went by. Todd found that Johnny's obsession with the mindless filth of the world was indeed justified. There was no limit of supplies to choose from for Wall-feeding, though D-Boy told him choose from impurity and negativity. The Wall didnt digest good blood very well.

Not a problem at all, really.

Todd finally grew bored around his neighborhood, and caught a bus into town, looking for a bookstore or an art store somewhere. He finally found one - Dragon Books.

It was pretty cozy inside, with people reading or working on laptops. todd decided he needed a sci-fi novel and a new journal, and looked around the Sci-Fi section for a good one.

"Do you need any help?"

Todd let out a badly-repressed "squee!" and turned around. There was a nice-looking lady smiling at him. She was really pretty, but looked like she was older than she really had to be, like she had expreienced things earlier in life that werent too good.

"Um," Todd replied, looking back at the shelves, "I want a good science fiction book. A big one."

"You like to read?" the lady asked, examining the shelves.

"Yeah," Todd said. "And write." The lady smiled.

"You want to be a writer?" Todd nodded. "That's good. We need new authors like you to keep the book stores running...here we go."

She pulled a thick novel form the shelf and handed it to him. Todd looked at the cover; 'Starship Cowboy'. "It's really good...it kind of mixes Old West with futuristic science."

"Thanks!" Todd exclaimed, smiling. "It looks awesome!" He followed the lady to the checkout counter, picking up a hardback journal en route.

"It's supposed to have a sequel," the lady said, ringing up his purchases. "If you give us your email address, we can send you the info when it gets in."

"Oh...I dont have a computer," Todd replied. "But I do have a phone."

"THat's fine," the lady said, putting the books into a bag. "That'll be $32.43." Todd counted out the money and wrote his new phone number on the paper the lady gave him. "Thanks, Ma'am."

"Just call me Devi...Todd," she replied, reading his name on the paper. "Todd C., right?"

"Right." He grabbed his bag. "By, Devi!" He left.

Devi smiled at the boy leaving the store and looked down at the paper. It was hard to find intelligent kids nowadays... She froze when she saw the number. Blinking, she read it again. Todd C. ...

"You HAVE to be kidding me."

* * *

The book was really good, with about 700 pages of out-of-this-world awesomeness. D-Boy and Mr. Eff didnt bother Todd, and let the kid enjoy a world outside this one. Johnny had abandoned his art for a long time to make time to kill, and after just two years, his masterpieces had degenerated into Happy Noodle Boy. The last thing the figments needed was for Todd's imagination to rot to the point where the best he could come up with were the storylines for the fucking stick figure.

* * *

Todd had fallen asleep while reading. Instead of the Wall, D-Boy, and Mr. Eff, he had a dream of his first day in the psyche ward. THAT had been the last time he saw Johnny. He was strapped into his first pass at the electroshock - just a demo - and had seen Johnny walk by, make eye-contact, and wave, like they had seen each other in the street instead of a looney bin.

Dreaming back on it, his six-year-old self in the chair felt desperate. He longed to tear free of the straps and cry to Johnny for help. _"Dont leave me!"_ he kept thinking. _"Dont leave me!"_

* * *

_-'He's dreaming again.'-_

_-'Brilliant observation, Holmes...'-_

_-'Really, Eff. And just see who he's dreaming ABOUT. I cant help but think that Todd needs a parental figure. If we want him NOT to turn out like the mad artist, then he has to at least feel affection from someone other than a voiceless teddy bear.'-_

_-'So you're suggesting JOHNNY? That statement borders on ironic.'-_

_-'So if NOT Johnny, then who if you're the genius of the two of us?'-_

_-'Hmm...how about...HER?'-_

_-'You sick son of a fuck.'-_

_-'YOU'RE my son? Sweet.'-_

_-'SHUT UP, EFF!'-_

_-'Alright, alright... So, we get Squee to gro an attachment to someone-I'm still thinking HER-to keep him grounded?'-_

_-'Precisely.'-_

_-'...Kid needs more books, eventually...'-_

_-'I still think that Johnny would make the better choice.'-_

_-'Why not both?'-_

_-'...'-_

_-'...Oh. Right.'-_

_-'Dumbass.'-_


	7. Chapter 7

** Acceptance**

It was that time again. Feeding time. Todd armed himself (Rule #1 from Mr. Fuck - ALWAYS keep yourself armed!) with a knife, a small hatchet, his crobar, and some wire, and walked out of the house, hugging himself a little. It was getting colder, he noticed. He checked a watch he pilfered from one of his first victims; 10:42 PM.

He sighed and picked up a bucket from the front porch. He wished he could drive, so he would be caught walking home with a bucket of blood, but hey, what's an 11-year-old to do?

He made it to the corner store and stopped to get himself a Brainfreezy, and immediately felt his victim-sense tingle (Mr. Fuck called it that; D-Boy called it an asshole-detecting gland). A couple of high-school boys - jocks, most definately - were hanging out outside the store, smoking and laughing about something. Todd managed to sneak past them into the store to get his Freezy, then walked out, not so lucky to be unnoticed now.

"What's a little kid doing outside here so late?" one of them asked, though not sounding TOO much like an asshole.

"Isnt it past your beddy-bye time?" another said in a baby voice. "Wont your mommy get worried?"

"My mother's dead, thanks for reminding me," Todd replied icely. 'No, really,' he thought. 'Thanks.'

"You got a smart mouth, kid!" the asshole shot back. "You aint got no mom to run home crying to, so I just might kick your ass!" With that, he smacked the cherry Brainfreezy out of Todd's hand.

Anger seized at Todd's heart, and his other hand in his hoodie pocket clenched around the knife he had in there...

"Hey!"

All of them turned to see Devi stalk out of her car and up to them. The hold around the knife loosened. "What are you doing?"

"Uhhh...nothin'," the jockhole who had been harrassing Todd said. "We're just...playin'! With my little brother!" He glared threateningly at Todd. "Right?"

Todd didnt even flinch. "Uhhh...NO!" Todd shot back. "You're NOT my brother, and you were JUST threatening to beat me up!" Devi glared at the boys, who scampered away. She walked over to Todd.

"Are you alright?" she asked. Todd nodded.

"I'm fine," he replied. "Just some idiots with big words." He paused, then added, his voice a thousand miles away, "No monsters, no boogiemen...just reasons for me to feel better about myself."

Devi stared at him. The way he spoke sounded just so familiar. "What are you doing out this late? Wont your parents be worried?" Todd shook his head.

"I dont have parents," he replied, then added, "...that really care about me." He squirmed a little; he had always been bad at lying. "I just wanted a Brainfreezy."

Devi looked at him sadly. "I'll buy you one and give you a ride home," she said. "How does that sound?"

Todd smiled at her and let her buy him a new cherry Freezy. On the way back to his neighborhood, he couldnt help but notice her expression; like she knew where she was.

"Here," he said, pointing. "That's my house." Devi stared, her jaw dropping.

House 777.

"Thank you, Devi," Todd said, getting out. Devi put a hand on his shoulder.

"Todd," she said, her voice a little unsteady. "Did...did you happen to...know about the person who lived there, before you?"

Todd looked back at the house. 'Yes,' he thought. First-hand. "...No," he replied. "It's been empty for years, I was told."

"Oh." She sounded almost relieved. "Goodnight, Todd. Stay safe." She drove off.

Todd stared after her, shifting his backpack. "...Did she know Johnny?" he asked, mostly to himself.

_-'KNOW him?'-_ Mr. Fuck said, humored. _-'She DATED him a few years back, when you were still living next door. Didnt work out. He tried to kill her.'-_

"What?" Todd exclaimed. "But...she's a really nice person!"

_-'I know,'-_ Eff said. _-'And Johny knew. But he really liked her. He wanted to preserve the happiness before it faded, if you get my drift.'-_

Todd sat down on his porch. "That's dumb," he commented. "The world needs nicer people like her. If there were...then we wouldnt need people like me and Johnny."

_-'Well said, Todd,'-_ D-Boy said.

_-'Yip-yip and all that rot,'-_ Mr. Eff added. _-'But we still need to feed Moose. Tonight.'-_

"Ugh, you're right," Todd replied sullenly. "Any ideas?"

A moment of silence.

_-'Squee, how tall are you?'-_ Eff asked.

"Ummm...4'10, I think. Why?"

* * *

_-'Okay, now brake BREAK, DAMMIT!'-_

Todd slammed on the brakes, his hands kneading the wheel tightly. He heard D-Boy swear loudly and Mr. Eff heave a sigh. _-'Now put it in park.'-_ He did so, and leaned back in the seat.

-_'Not bad, kid, not bad.'-_

_-'Are you fucking kidding me, Eff?'-_ D-Boy screeched. -_'That was worse than Johnny's driving!"_

"Gimme a break, I'm only 11," Todd grumbled. He unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of the car Mr. Eff told him how to hotwire to stare at the darkened entrance of a nightclub. "How am I supposed to get in here? I'm sure they check IDs..."

_-'Dont worry about it,'-_ D-Boy said.

-_'Just run in, pick one, and run out,'-_ Eff added. _-'You got your equipment?'-_

"Yeah." Todd walked into the club, where the bouncer didnt even acknowledge him, and grimaced at the smell. This shouldnt be hard. Todd found several options: a really drunk girl slumped over a chair; a guy decked out in glowsticks and dancing like an epileptic monkey; another guy snorting white lines on a glass table.

Ah. Bingo. We have a winner.

Some wannabe dark-clad 'spooky guy' who looked like he didnt want to be there. Todd crept easily through the darkness, taking out his crowbar, which was turning out to be his favorite bludgeoning weapon. He waited behind the man until some people cleared away, then swung hard.

Absently thinking that he may have done well on a baseball team at school, he knelt down and dragged the limp body over the floor to the back door, then down an alleyway and to the trunk of the car. He hoisted the body in, still amazed at the fact that he could carry that much weight, then was about to get in the car when the trunk popped open and the man attempted to get out, still dazed from the blow.

Todd let out an explicative he didnt know was in his vocabulary, and grabbed his knife, ran to the trunk, and stabbed the man in the neck. The man sputtered and gagged through the blade for a moment, then let out a death rattle and went still.

Todd pulled the knife out and stuffed it back in his pocket, then drove home with an eerie calm disposition. When he took the body out of the trunk he didnt even have to stoop to drag it to the basement. He went straight to the Wall, then pulled out a large carving knife to tear the chest cavity open to paint the Wall.

When he was done, he stepped back and let the paintbrush fall from his hand to the floor. His body followed suit, but he kept conscious.

"What is happening to me?" he absently asked, mostly to himself.

_-'Acceptance,'-_ Mr. Eff replied, and Todd could barely feel a brush of a hand on his head. _-'Dont fight it, Squee. Accept it. You can do this.'-_ A definate touch to his shoulder.

_-'The world is filled with filth,'-_ D-Boy said. _-'And they cant even have the decency to kill themselves. So you have to do it for them. Not only do you clear the world of filth, but you keep existance intact.'-_

Todd quietly stood up and walked out of the basement and to his bathroom. He washed off his face and stared in the mirror, then shrieked when he saw the image of Mr. Fuck behind him.

"WHOA!" he hollered, staring at the mirror. "I...I can SEE you!"

_-'You CAN?'-_ Mr. Fuck said, and Todd could see him talk in the mirror. The image of Psychodoughboy slipped into the mirror.

_-'He can see us outside of unconsciousness?'-_ he asked. _-'Fascinating...it's only a matter of time before we take physical form.'-_

Todd stared at the two in the mirror, amazed at how...HERE they looked. Real. They looked human...almost. Human if it were Halloween or some kind of screwed-up rave, anyway. He watched as D-Boy put a hand on his shoulder, and even though D-Boy was only seen in the mirror, Todd could feel a shadow of a touch on his shoulder. He tentatively reached up and touched the hand on his shoulder, almost jumping when he did indeed feel the barest hint of a hand, like a ghost.

_-'Barely nine kills in two months,'-_ Mr. Eff said pensievely, _-'and already we're halfway to being physical...'-_

Todd turned around, and even though he couldnt see them, he could feel their presences. "...How long did it take with Johnny?" he asked.

_-'Almost four years, since he created me,'-_ D-Boy replied. _-'We began as voices, then we became more self-aware. Right before Moose tried to take us back, we could actually move, even though we were voices trapped within painted-over styrofoam pastry stands.'-_

_-'And we began again as voices,'-_ Mr. Eff added, _-'and we began to take forms outside of this plane of existance with little by little help from homeless insane and visitors to this house. But no REAL progress until you showed up.'-_

Todd nodded and looked back at the mirror. He thought of how long it would be before they would be completely real.

...He almost couldnt wait.


	8. Chapter 8

**Johnny**

Quite a bit of distance away, a man who looked like he didnt eat enough was sitting at home, flipping through channels and nibbling on dry ramen noodles. On the coffee table in front of him lay sketches - mediocre sketches, but definately not amaturish.

He came across The Funniest Commercials of the Decade and burst out laughing at the commercial where the whole family gets diarrhea.

_-'...nny...Joh...nny...JOHNNY!'-_

Johnny C. choked on a bit of ramen and spat it out. "What the fuck...? Who's there?"

_-'...You dont remember me, do you?'-_ the voice said. _-'Think, 'Nny. You HAVE to remember...!'-_-

Johnny thought for a moment, scratching at his short hair, then his eyes widened with shock. "NAILBUNNY!" he shouted. "Nailbunny! How...? Why...?"

_-'No time for that now, Johnny!'-_ Nailbunny replied urgently. _-'Johnny, you have to go back!'-_

"Back where?" Johnny asked, before suddenly realizing what Nailbunny was referring to. "...Oh no...oh HELL no! I'm NEVER going back there, 'Bunny! I CANT!" He snatched up his sketches and shook them to the empty air. "Do you see this, Nailbunny? I'm getting myself back! I havent killed a single person in a YEAR! I'm actually working on sleeping on a daily basis! I wont go back there just to fuck it all up!"

There was a moment of silence from Nailbunny. _ -'I'm happy you're getting your life back on track, Johnny. I really am. But I'm not asking you to go kill people. I'm asking you to go HELP someone!'-_

"Help who?" Johnny asked, settling back down. "I left that place five years ago, and JUST now got Rev. Meat off my back. Who is so important that I should risk it all to go back for?"

_-'Todd.'-_

"I like 'Squee' better," Johnny said automatically, then blinked. "Squee? Is something wrong with Squee?"

Nailbunny sighed. _-'Johnny,'-_- he said softly, _-'Todd's been tapped as a waste lock.'-_

Johnny slumped down on the couch, staring blankly into space. "...How old is he?" he finally asked.

_-'He'll be twelve in four months,'-_- Nailbunny replied. Johnny gritted his teeth.

"He's still just a kid...!" he growled, clenching his fists. "Not even twelve years old, and he's been tapped to kill people and feed a goddamned WALL?" He put a hand to his head. "Why, Nailbunny?"

_-'I'm afraid that it was mostly your fault, Johnny,'-_- Nailbunny said gently. _-'Before you left, you passed the position to him. You left HIM to keep the barrier closed. He was already pre-destined to be a waste lock, and when you left after the barrier broke, it began to accumulate again, and Todd was tapped to start locking it. You practically handed him your key.'-_-

Johnny buried his face in his hands. "Shit," he muttered, "I remember now...I saw him at the institution, that day I left...!" He stared at his hands. "...I left him there...I felt like I should stay, but I left him!"

_-'You need to go back, Johnny,'-_- Nailbunny reiterated. _-'You may not be THE lock, but you are A lock nonetheless. If you help him, he may not delve into insanity before he becomes a teenager. He needs guidence, other than...'-_ He broke off, and Johnny looked up.

"Other than...who, Nailbunny?" he asked. "That Shmee character?"

_-'Worse,'-_- Nailbunny replied with distaste. _ -'The Doughboys.'-_-


	9. Chapter 9

**Comparison**

Todd dropped the paintbrush into the bucket and left the Wall to its meal. He strutted not back upstairs, but through the other rooms of the lower levels. Here and there, he came across beautifully terrifying paintings that were all signed J.C., and he couldnt help but stare at them.

Johnny used to leave Happy Noodle Boy comics in his room, before the nuthouse. It was almost impossible to believe that the same man who created those disturbing stick figure shit-comics used to paint these wonderful works of art. It seemed completely backwards.

If it was one thing Todd feared about being a waste lock about, it wasnt getting caught (Mr. Eff told him locks were untouchable), but it was degeneration. His imagination kept him alive and sane in school and the mental ward, and he never wanted to lose it.

He had taken a few of Johnny's paintings and hung them around the house, and even in his room. The nightmareish images didnt scare him, but rather let him see into Johnny's mind for a bit. Johnny had seen things; bad, evil things, in his mind, just like he did. But Johnny drew and painted them. Todd wrote about them, and an alternative to those horrors that made them tolerable and even enjoyable.

Mr. Fuck and Psychodoughboy told him that they had taken from Johnny to become real. But Todd's writing and imagination HADNT suffered, even though they said he was feeding them a LOT. So what was it?

He didnt know.

It was running on three months in the house, and Todd saw the results of his labor. Mr. Eff and D-Boy could be seen in shadow form in this plane of existance now. Todd now had something to look at when he spoke to them, which made him feel much less lonely.

Now here he was, sitting on the floor of a level about 12 floors down, staring up at a gigantic painting of a monstrous form screaming in agony, wrenching its jagged fingertips into the flesh of its face. It was sad to look at, Todd decided. He had felt this way many times, especially since the day he came home from the looney bin. Like his soul was in agony, and the only way to let the pain out was through the skin.

Todd stood up and walked back upstairs, suddenly wanting to go to the bookstore to visit Devi. She was the third human being to show him tru affection, next to Johnny and Pepito (okay, well, HE was half-human), and he felt that he needed that to keep sane.

He took the bus again and walked into the bookstore, only to find that Devi was not there. So he walked up to the bored-looking teenage girl hanging out against the counter. "Excuse me," he said politely, "can you tell me when Devi will be in?"

The girl rolled her eyes. "She's not here," she drolled, then popped her gum. Todd frowned.

"I'm aware of that," he replied testily. "I was asking when she was getting here."

"Beat it, kid," the girl snapped. "I have an hour left on my shift, and I dont want to spend it babysitting a snot-nose kid like you!" She popped her gum again.

Todd felt a roaring in his ears, and felt the touch of Mr. Eff on his shoulder.

_-'Get the bitch,'-_ was all he said.

* * *

Devi stopped her car when she saw the cops around Dragon Books. She got up and ran up to the store, where she saw two paramedics hoist a body bag onto a gurney.

"...Fuckin' mess," she heard one of the cops say. "her throat slashed open and her chest emptied." Devi felt like vomiting.

"No witnesses?"

"Naw, just a stock boy who heard the commotion and called the ambulence. He's not a suspect; there was way too much blood for it NOT to get on him if he did it."

"Oi, aint this kinda like those murders from five years ago?"

"Oh yeah..."

Devi backed away from the scene and back to her car. "Shit..." she murmured to herself. "It couldnt be..." No, it couldnt. Johnny was gone and his house was reinhabited. It was just a coincidence...

Something caught her eye, and she turned in time so see someone dart into the alley. Devi noticed a dark red stain on the ground next to the building on the alley, and she ran toward it. Yeah, it was blood. She looked down the alley and something glinted in the sunlight. She walked up to it, then paled and backed up.

A bloody knife. A very, very familiar bloody knife...

'Please, be silent before you say something to spoil the mood.'

Devi ran back to her car and drove home, her heart beating a million miles a minute, all the while thinking, 'It cant be him, it cant be him...!'

* * *

Johnny sat in the back of the bus, listening to his music on the mp3 player. Many things about him had changed; his affinity for classical and Baroque music was not one of them.

No one really bothered him; they were just like him, wanting to get to their destination without anny hassle. The bus station was one of the few places beside his home that he could stand, as far as people went.

And now, he was going back to the pit of Hell that fucked up his life so badly. He sighed again. If it were anyone but Squee, he wouldnt give a shit. But he had acutally SEEN the difference in that kid that parted him from the other little piss-maggots that would soon develop into big piss-maggots.

Squee was just like him.

Johnny swore to himself and turned up the volume on his music to try to down out old, unpleasant memories.


	10. Chapter 10

**Reality**

Todd got the call from Devi about the sequel to Starship Cowboy. He had let out a happy 'squee' (a rarity) and took the bus downtown to get it.

She handed it to him with a smile. "First one out of the box," she said. Todd paid for it, then Devi clocked out of her shift. "Todd," she said before he left, "are you hungry?"

Todd WAS hungry, as a matter of fact. "Yeah," he replied. "Why?"

"You want to grab something to eat with me?"

Todd grinned. "Sure! I'll buy!"

"No, I'LL buy, Todd," she replied. "And I'll drive you home. We can talk for awhile."

"Okay," Todd replied. They drove to a nearby diner, where Todd reluctantly let Devi pay for their meals. They sat in silence for awhile, then Devi struck up conversation.

"I've seen you out pretty late, Todd," she said. "Done you ever get scared?"

"Not really, he replied. "I can take care of myself." Devi frowned.

"...You told me your parents dont care a lot about you...what do you mean?"

Todd repressed old memories that were surfacing. "...My parents resent my existance," he finally said, bitterly. "They just give me things to shut me up, and they always say they hope other people try to kidnap me." He took a sip of his root beer. "It's not so bad."

"Todd, that IS bad," Devi said sadly. "Children should be cared for and cared about. Dont you know that?"

'I used to think so,' Todd thought to himself. He shrugged. "I guess," he replied. "But I have...friends who kind of take care of me, so it's okay."

"What friends?" Devi asked.

'Crap crap crap...' "Just...friends," he said. "I mean...they've been more like parents to me than anyone, besides you." He blushed and shut his mouth.

Devi couldnt help but feel both sad for Todd and touched that he felt that way.

"I did have another person...who protected me," Todd added suddenly. "...But he left. Didnt come back."

"Oh," Devi said. "Who was he?"

"I...dont wanna talk about it," Todd replied. Devi nodded and they finished their meals in peace. When they left, Todd secretly added a $10 tip. The waitress had been a really nice lady.

It was quiet on the ride home. Devi seemed nervous to be in his neighborhood again, but stopped in front of the house anyway. "Thanks Devi," Todd said, getting out. Devi sighed and turned the engine off. "What are you doing?"

"I want to talk to your parents, Todd."

Todd felt a rush of panic. "NO! That's okay, Devi! You dont have to! I'll be fine!"

"Todd, do they hurt you?" Devi asked, concerned. "If they do, Todd, you can stay with me and we'll -!"

"No, it's not that!" Todd becan to panic more when Devi walked up to the door. "Please, Devi, dont -"

The door opened and an arm shot out to snatch Devi and reel her in. Todd bolted in after her and slammed the door shut. "DONT HURT HER, EFF!" he cried.

"I wasnt gonna hurt her, Squee," Mr. Eff replied, rolling his eyes and shoving Devi onto the couch, where D-Boy was sitting and flipping channels. He let out an indignant cry and pushed Devi off of him.

Devi bolted up and ran for the door, but Mr. Fuck steped in front of her, holding a very large knife. "Sorry, Devi," he said, grinning manically, "but I cant let you leave."

Devi was struck with the memory of Johnny the night he tried to kill her. And for some reason, the freaky-looking guy in front of her looked very familiar. "Shit...!" she muttered, backing away. Todd scowled and snatched the knife from Mr. Eff's hand.

"What the hell, Eff!" he snapped, tossing the knife carelessly away behind him. "You know that Devi's not bad!"

"I know, I know," Mr. Eff grumbled. "Force of habit. Keepg the happiness while it's here, and all that rot."

"Johnny's not HERE, retard!" D-Boy spoke, settling on a channel about mental illness. "And I dont think he or Todd will appreciate KILLING the young lady."

Todd bit his lip and looked at Devi. "Devi," he began slowly, "this is Psychodoughboy -" He pointed to D-Boy on the couch. "- and Mr. Fuck. These are the friends who take care of me."

Devi stared at the two disturbing men in the room. They were both about six feet tall, and were dressed...oddly. Mr. Eff was decked out in purple and black, with Z? plastered on the front of his shirt. His eyes were disturbingly red with black arrows pointing from the corners. His smile was dirturbing, and there were black lines running over his lips, making it look like they had been stitched together at some point.

D-Boy was purely black and white, with striped sleeves and the word FUCK over his shirt. The most disturbing thing about him were his eyes - they were spiraled.

"...Friends...?" Devi muttered. Todd nodded.

"Yeah," he said. "...I lied to you, Devi."

"About what?" she asked, keeping her eye on Mr. Eff, who was eyeing her almost letcherously.

"Everything." Todd took her hand and led her to the couch, sitting her down. He took the remote and turned off the TV, making D-Boy glare at him. "Devi...the truth is...my parents are dead."

"Dead?" Devi repeated.

"Dead," Mr. Eff leered. "As fucking doornails."

"And...the other truth is that...I DO know about the guy who lived here before me. Johnny." Devi shuddered at the sound of the name. "Johnny was the friend who used to protect me. He once told me that people are not monsters, not boogiemen; no one worth devoting nightmares to." He wrung his hands. "I know that Johnny had tried to kill you. And that he was the one who killed all those people five years ago."

Devi felt very sick. "How do you know all of this?" she asked.

"I was six when I first met Johnny," Todd said. "And I lived next door to him. He would come to my house for bandaids and stuff. He came to visit when he left. But..." He looked at Mr. Eff and D-Boy. "...I didnt really know until I came here that he killed people for a reason."

"'Reason'?" Devi repeated. "REASON! Who could POSSIBLY have a reason for KILLING people!"

"Waste locks," the three males all said at once.

"Waste locks?"

"Waste locks, little girl," Mr. Eff said, grinning. "Beings that keep barriers up to keep human negativity and pure aggression in real, physical form from escaping. And for OUR particular barrier, Johnny was the lock, and to KEEP it locked, it needed blood."

"He painted the Wall to sate it," D-Boy added in. "Without blood, the barrier goes soft, and Moose can get out."

"'Moose'?" Devi asked.

"Dont ask. But anyway, Johnny finally refused to feed the Wall anymore. And due to some very complicated plot developments in this story we call existance, Johnny shoots himself in the head, Moose gets out, Johnny dies, and existance is reinstalled, and all of the human filth begins to build up again. And since Johnny was brought back with existance but decided to split, a new lock was needed."

"And THAT my dear," Mr. Eff finished, putting his hands on Todd's shoulders, "is where our dear little Squee comes in."

Devi stared at Todd, who nodded. "It's true, Devi," he said. "I'M the waste lock now. I'm the one responsible for those deaths and dissappearances." He lowered his eyes. "But you have to know...I'd NEVER kill you. You're too nice a person, and the world needs people like you. If there were, then people like me and Johnny wouldnt have to be the way we are."

"If it's any condolence, Devi," Mr. Eff spoke up, "Nny really liked you; might have even loved you."

"Then why the FUCK did he try to KILL me!" she spat back, momentarily forgetting the mind fuck she'd just heard.

"Other than all the reasons he gave you before the attempt on your life?" Eff said, stepping around Todd to face her. "...Because I told him to." Devi stepped back, and Eff stepped forward. "I told him to caputre the moment and freeze it in time. And of course, what with the little shit desperate for happiness and fond memories, he LISTENED to me!" He let out an insane bark of laughter. "It's nothing personal, my lady, but you ARE beautiful..."

"You're sick...!" she said, trying to back up to the door. "You're sick, and you're dragging Todd down with you!"

"Wrong lady," D-Boy interruped offhandedly. "if it werent for locks, WE wouldnt exist. The fact of the matter is that we are - were - figments of a figment, and we are what you see right now because of HIM." He pointed to Todd, who nodded. "His imagination enabled us to take form, just as Johnny's imagination allowed us to walk back when we were HIS voices."

Devi suddenly remembered oddly-painted styrofoam figures in that room when Johnny had tried to kill her. And in tht stupid recording, didng Johnny mention a Psychodoughboy?

"This is crazy...!" she muttered, stepping back. "This is CRAZY!" She made a break for the door, but a large knife cut through the air and imbedded itself in the door. She shrieked and whipped around to see Mr. Eff standing with his arm outstretched.

"In the immortal words of the Mad Hatter," he said, his grin growing more insane, "we're all mad here."

* * *

Johnny stepped off of the bus, grimacing at the now-familiar surroundings. Asshole Central, he thought. Hell-on-Earth Junction. HE slung his small backpack over his shoulder and picked up his small satchel back and made his way to the nearest bus stop.

-_'Home sweet home, eh Johnny?'-_

"Shut up, Nailbunny."


	11. Chapter 11

**Cruel Realizations**

Devi was taken (kicking and screaming and over Mr. Eff's shoulder) to an empty room in the basement and locked in. She could hear Todd and Mr. Eff arguing over her treatment, and Eff promising not to hurt her. Todd came in, his expression saddened. "I'm sorry, Devi," he said softly, "but...I cant let you leave. Not yet. I have to stay here and feel the Wall, but I promise I'll - "

"You're just like HIM!" Devi suddenly snapped. "You're just all talk with sweet words, but I know you'll try and kill me eventually! If you come near me, I'll kill you first!"

Todd gaped at her, his hand clutching the doorframe tightly, his bones almost cracking. He felt tears come to his eyes, and he shut the door behind him before running back upstairs. He pass Mr. Eff, who stared after him, and burst into the house to flop onto his bed in a fit of tears.

D-Boy saw Todd pass him, and got up to check on him. A wave of strength and power surged into him at the scent of angst and dispair. He walked over to the bed and sat down on it, then ran his fingers through Todd's hair. "What's the matter, Todd?" he asked, practically feeling that dispair pulsate through the air.

Todd sniffed and raised his head. "D...Devi..." he stuttered. "She...she said I was just like Johnny, and that I'd try to k-kill her!" He let out a fresh sob. "She...she told me she'd kill ME first!" He cried into his sleeve as D-Boy stroked his hair, soaking up that delicious misery like a sponge.

"How cruel," he purred, losing sense of his promise to break his little 'habit'.

"She...she HATES me, D!" Todd wailed. "She's the nicest lady ever to me, and she HATES me! It hurts..." D-Boy gently picked Todd up and coddled him like a mother.

"I know, I know..." he murmured. "The pain is all inside..." Todd thought to Johnny's painting in the basement, the one of the internal agony. "It hurts inside, I know...you must let it out..." Though Todd couldnt see, D-Boy's spiraled eyes began turning, and a slow grin spread across his face.

Todd's hand unconsciously slid into his hoodie pocket and brought out a switchblade. D-Boy took Todd's free arm and gently pulled up the sleeve. "Let all that hurt bleed out," he hissed, taking Todd's knife hand in his own and pressing the switch. The blade flicked open and glinted temptingly in the light. Todd's hand lowered toward his exposed wrist and touched the blade to his skin, then pressed down...

"What the FUCK!"

D-Boy jumped and looked up to see Mr. Fuck standing, seething, in the doorframe. Eff stalked in and snatched the knife out of Todd's hand. "I thought you werent going to DO this shit anymore, D-Boy!"

"SORRY, SORRY, IT WAS A SLIP, I SWEAR!" D-Boy yelled. Eff punched D-Boy in the face.

"If you kill him, that's IT!" he shrieked back. "You SWORE you wouldnt do that suicide shit!"

"Well EXCUUUUUUSE me if I was CREATED from suicidal emotion!" D-Boy shot back, his face in one hand. "It isnt EASY!"

Mr. Eff shoved D-Boy away and examined Todd's wrist. There was just a tiny scratch. "Fuckin' Hell," he muttered, putting Todd's sleeve down. "You okay, Squee?" No response. "Squee?"

Todd's expression was dead and blank, as though someone unplugged his brain. Mr. Eff shook his shoulder. "Squee." Todd stood up, took the switchblade back from Eff, grabbed his backpack, and stalked out of the house. Eff growled and grabbed D-Boy by the ascot. "You son of a shit!" he shouted, shaking him. "If he's damaged, as soon as we're real, I'll KILL you!"

D-Boy scowled and Mr. Fuck let him go to head into the basement. Psychodoughboy wiped at his face with the back of his hand and then paused to look at it.

Blood.

"...Oh, shit."

* * *

Devi sat in the corner of the room, brooding and debating on how to get out of the room, when she heard the door unlock. It opened and she saw Mr. Fuck walk in, his red eyes practically glowing and his visage full of pure homicidal rage. Devi tensed up, prepared to fight her way out if need be, but Mr. Eff held up an axe.

"No ideas, sweetheart," he warned. "I'm not at all chivalrous and dont mind splitting you in half from the cunt up." Devi swallowed and remained where she was. Eff lowered the axe. "He wouldnt kill you. EVER. You were sadly mistaken when you accused him of anything otherwise. He and Johnny are entirely two different people."

"What does it matter?" she shot back. She yelped when Mr. Eff shot forward and hovered over her, growling and emitting a true homicidal aura.

"A LOT," he hissed venomously. "I just caught that piece of shit Psychodoughboy helping my boy Squee attempt suicide because of your little bitchfit. And naturally, I cant have that." He backed off and stared down at her. "Let me tell you a few things about Squee." He sat down in a chair in front of her, running his thumb almost lovingly over the axe blade.

"His parents never wanted him. His father constantly told him how much he despised his son. His mother stuffed herself full of pills to make herself forget she even had a son. And finally, they dump him off at a psychiatric ward JUST because they were sick of him. He was six years old.

"And when he comes home, he finds no possessions of his own. The only things to his name were his teddy bear and the clothes on his back. And then he hears his father say he would kill him, so he runs here. D-Boy and I have taken care of him since, trying to retain his sanity as long as possible."

His visage turned dark. "It's not easy, sitting here, looking at you after what you did. I'm the essence of homicide. It's muse. I've grown to actually give a damn about the kid, and it's only his feelings for you that keeps me from slaughtering you where you sit."

"...Feelings?" Devi asked delicately. Mr. Fuck's eyes flashed.

"He sees you as a surrogate mother," he said. "Just as he sees Johnny as the protective father. And now both have abandoned him, like his parents abandoned him. I wouldnt be surprised if he killed the two of you, too."

He stood up, swinging the axe over his shoulder. "It's all his call now. He's the Maestro here. But if he gives the call, he'll have to beat me to you, and quite frankly, I have the advantage. You hungry? We have ramen."

Devi just stared at him. "No? Okay. Goodnight, Devi." He left the room, whistling and fondling the handle of his axe longingly.

* * *

Johnny got off the bus stop near the 24/7, thinking that he'd grab a bite to eat. So far so good for him; no real assholes getting to him yet. He turned the corner and saw the store, then saw someone go into the store; a very small person. Just after that, a taller person went in, and seconds later, a shot rang out.

'Well,' he thought, 'there goes my Brainfreezy.' He walked right past the store, but something caught his eye from inside. He turned and stared.

The store clerk was dead from a gunshot wound to the head. Two other men were in there, as well as a kid. ...Wait, a KID? The fuck...? He watched as one one of the guys, the one with the gun, threatened the kid, then try to attack him, but the kid pulled out a knife and stabbed the man in the neck.

...Wait a minute...

"SQUEE!"

Todd pulled the knife back and turned to the other guy, only to be punched in the face. He went sprawling and looked up to see the man pick up the gun from the floor.

"You little shit!" he spat, aiming at Todd. "You are SO dead!" He pointed the gun at Todd's head, and Todd raised his arm in a futile attempt to cover himself, then -

SHLUNK!

Todd peeked his eyes open to see the man drop the gun, a three-inch tip of a huge knife sticking out of his chest. The knife was pulled back, and the body was slung away to reveal a tall, skinny man.

"Damn it, there goes my record..." he mumbled, examining the 13-inch amputation knife. He looked at Todd. "You okay, Squeegee?"

Todd gaped at him, his brain fighting to process what he was seeing. _Crazy Neighbor Man...Crazy Neighbor Man..._

"Squee?" He knelt down to be level with Todd. "Squee, are you alright?"

_Crazy Neighbor Man._

_'My name is Johnny, but you can call me 'Nny for short.'_

"...Nny..." Todd murmured. Johnny blinked.

"You there, Squee...?"

Todd suddenly flung himself at Johnny, hugging him around the middle. "JOHNNY!" he sobbed. "Dont leave me! Dont leave me here!"

Johnny froze at the sudden onslaught of touch; he still hadnt conquered that particular irk just yet. But right now, he couldnt bring himself to pry the boy off of him. "It's okay, Squee," he said awkwardly. He really couldnt think of anything else to say.

Todd sniffled and absently remembered this scent; five years couldnt strip the smell of dirt, insomnia, Cherry Brainfreezies, and Spaghettios from Johnny. At least he didnt smell of blood now. He let go of Johnny and wiped his eyes.

"You left me there," he murmured almost accusingly. Johnny sighed.

"I know," he replied. "I'm sorry." Todd dried his face with his sleeve.

"Why are you here?" he asked. "Why'd you come back? Why NOW?"

Johnny shook his head, picking up the knife Todd had used. "Because of THIS," he said. "Because Nailbunny told me that...you were like me now." He handed the knife back to Todd. "You shouldnt have been tapped so early," he continued mournfully. "It's my fault. I left the house, and you were tapped. If I had been there..." He clenched his fists. "...I wouldve taken care of you."

Todd felt his eyes tear up again. "I know now," he said, "that you were the only person who protected me. You helped me..." He buried his face in his hands. "...Dont go...dont go away again, Johnny!"

"Hey...calm down..." Johnny consoled. "I came back, didnt I? I came back to help you. I wont let you go the way I did again." He stood up and tentatively offered Todd his hand. Todd took it and stood up, then suddenly dug in his pocket and pulled out an old wallet.

"Here," he said. "It's yours. I found it in the couch." Johnny took it and opened it, arching a brow.

"Damn, I'm getting old," he muttered. He checked the contents, his eyes widening at the amount of money he saw. "...You keep it," he said, handing it back to Todd. "I've got a new one." Todd took it, smiling a little. "Come on," he continued, "let's go home."

Todd quietly grabbed Johnny's hand as a young child might to their caretaker, and walked out of the store with Johnny, who was keeping that hold just for the sake if Squee.


	12. Chapter 12

**Reunion**

Mr. Fuck came up to Psychodoughboy about to leave the house. "Where the hell are you going?" he demanded. D-Boy looked up.

"I'm going to find Todd," he replied. "I told you, Eff, I slipped. But...there WAS a bright side to my excursions, to be honest..."

"What could be the bright side to your suicidal shit?" Eff growled. D-Boy was about to reply, but he suddenly went stock still. "...The hell? What's the matter with you?"

"...Johnny..." D-Boy replied. One of his spiraled eyes twitched. "He's come back!"

"WHAT! How the hell do you know!"

"I can FEEL him!" D-Boy said, panicking. "Damn it all! He's here, and I'm willing to bet my new life that he's here to get Todd out of here!"

"FUCK!" Eff shouted, pulling at his hair. "We were so CLOSE! He CANT leave! If he leaves, then we'll NEVER be complete!"

"Just like last time," D-Boy added, though a little sullenly. Mr. Eff growled and hoisted his axe over his shoulder.

"It wont turn out like that," he said as a sort of finality. "Even if I have to kill him myself, Squee will NOT leave. I'll simply convince him that it was for the best."

D-Boy blinked. "...Kill Johnny?" he said. "That would DEVISTATE Todd...mmmm...devistation...angst...total and utter dispair..."

"FOCUS!" Mr. Eff shouted, smacking D-Boy upside the head. "I dont want you boning this up! If we dont play our cards right, we'll never be completely real!" He snatched D-Boy by the ascot and stalked for the basement. "Squee's OURS...and he's NOT leaving with that little shit Johnny!"

* * *

Johnny finally came within view of his old house, and repressed a shudder. He remembered what Squee told him what Shmee said, and now he had to agree - this was a bad place to be. He noticed that Todd's house next door was gone. "Where'd your house go?" he asked. Todd scowled.

"Burned it down," he replied.

"Ah." Johnny paused, then swallowed. "...Your parents?"

"Dead."

"How?"

"Axe wounds to the head and spine."

The casualness of Todd's tone made Johnny a bit upset, but at the same time, he felt it was justified. "You been doing okay?" he asked. Todd nodded.

"I used some of the money in your wallet for food and new clothes," he said. "I got more from the people I killed." He paused. "That's how you got YOUR money, right?"

Johnny winced. "Used to," he replied. "I have a job now, and I havent killed anyone in a year...er...tonight excluded." He squeezed Todd's hand. "...It scares me how easilly it came back to me after all this time."

"...How long were you a waste lock?" Todd asked. Johnny thought for a moment.

"...About four years," he finally said. "...It's a miserable life."

"Not really," Todd replied. "I mean, I have D-Boy and Mr. Eff to keep me company, and help me - "

"THE DOUGHBOYS!" Johnny cried, stopping short. "You actually LISTEN to them!"

"Yes!" Todd replied. "They take care of me! They tell me that embracing what I am and being aware of who I am will help me stay myself! 'Nny, they HELP me!"

"No, Todd," Johnny said seriously, "they DESTROY you. That's all they were created to do. They drive you into madness and never let you leave. They USE you, Squee. They use you until they dont need you anymore, and then..." He broke off in a slew of bad memories. "...You want nothing more than silence. Nothingness. Rest."

Todd shook his head. "No..." he said, tearing up. "You're wrong! They take care of me! They wont hurt me like that!"

"Yes they WILL, Todd!" Johnny's grip on Todd's hand tightened. "I cant let you go back there. Come back with ME, Todd. I'LL take care of you!"

"NO!" Squee wrenched his hand away and darted into his house. Johnny swore and ran after him, pausing when he saw the inside of the house.

It was so...clean. Clean, put-together, and homey. "...Squee?" He walked around, seeing paintings he had long forgotten about hanging in the living roomo, kitchen, and the bedroom. "Squee..." He finally saw the basement door, unlocked and wide open. "...Damn it..."

He trekked his way down slowly, memories of every atrocity he committed down there surfacing with each step. AT the bottom of the stairs, the door to the underground levels was ajar. Johnny swallowed and walked into his old world.

You know those stories of cleaned junkies going back to the old neighborhood and wobbling on the wagon with tempation? Johnny felt that way right about now. He could smell blood down here. Fresh blood. Damn whoever runs the flusher system for tapping Todd. Damn them to stupid, conformist Hell with a jackass Senor Diablo.

He couldnt find Todd in the first three levels, but in the fourth, he heard a voice in one of the holding rooms. "Todd?" He crept to the door and unlocked it, then opened it. He yelped and ducked when something heavy was hurled at his head.

"Let me go, you sons of bitches, or so help me...what...the..."

Johnny looked up and saw perhaps the most beautiful memory he had ever missed. "...Devi...?"

Devi stared hard. "Oh my God..."

Johnny stepped into the room. "Shit...Devi...what are you doing in here?"

"What are YOU doing in here?" she shot back. "I'M here because some psycho dressed as Satan's head chef locked me in here!"

"Satan's head...shit, areyou talking about Mr. Fuck?"

"S'he the psychotic one?"

"Yeah."

"Then YES! So what the fuck are you doing here!"

"I'm looking for Todd!" Johnny replied. "I have to get him out of here before they drive him criminally insane!"

"Like you?"

"...Let's not get into that right now, alright? I stopped all of that, and I havent killed anyone in a year...okay, that's a lie, I killed a guy earlier that was going to shoot Squee, but that was actually justified, so I guess my real record still stands and - "

"Just shut up, Johnny!" Devi shouted. "I want to get the hell out of here, and if you try to stop me, I'll kick your ass! Again!"

"...I would rather you not. And who said I'd try to stop you? I'm just here to help Squee. If you want to go, then go." He stepped aside. "I wont stop you."

Devi stared warily at Johnny, who made no move to block her way. She kept her guard up and her eye on him as she edged out of the room.

"Take the next left and go straight up," Johnny said. Devi nodded curtly and sprinted int he direction Johnny pointed out. He stood in the doorway for a moment, noticing that his heart was pounding in his ribcage. "Fuck," he swore. She was just as beautiful as he remembered her to be, if not more so. There went his hope of abandoning all feelings for her. He clenched his fist tightly and turned to go back to finding Todd when he heard a scream.

"DEVI!" He darted in the direction of the screem and almost made it back to the first floor of the basement when something smashed into the back of his skill, sending him into darkness.

* * *

When Johnny came to, his head was throbbing in sharp pain. He groaned and reached up to touch it, but then noticed that both of his wrists had shackles on them. "What the...oh, shit..." He tried to jerk them loose, but they were firmly attached to chains that were bolted to the floor. "FUCK!"

"You called, Johnny?"

Johnny turned and stared in shock at the tall figure leaning against the wall adjacent to him. Mr. Fuck grinned manically at Johnny, his red eyes flashing. "Well, well," he drawled, standing up from the wall. "The artist awakens. Hi, Johnny. It's been far too long, hasnt it?"

"...Mr. Fuck..." Johnny murmured increduously. "Holy shit...!"

"Far cry from being a styrofoam pastry stand, eh?" Mr. Eff snickered. "You look shocked, 'Nny. You shouldnt be. You should've known that Squee had powers of imagination incomprehensable; add that to his waste lock status, and he was even able to give me and Psychodoughboy reality. And in just a few short months!"

"You leave Squee alone!" Johnny spat. "How DARE you use him! Leave him alone!"

"Oh, I cant do that," Mr. Eff replied airily. "You see, 'Nny, Squee's just a few short kills away from making us real. And unlike last time, I wont stop when the finish line is just in front of me. I REFUSE."

He uncrossed his arms to reveal a butcher knife. "If I put the blood of a lock on the Wall...how long do you think Moose will be satisfied?"

Johnny's eyes widened as he realized just which room he was chained in. Mr. Fuck walked toward Johnny, the tip of the knife scraping the Wall, where Johnny could feel a growing malice from. "Yesssss..." Eff hissed. "I truly did wish to kill you once I was real...that chance was taken from me last time when you shot your dumb-fuck self."

He walked up behind Johnny and tapped the blade on Johnny's shoulder. "I can sense it in you..." he muttered. "...You still have the killer inside of you. You've repressed it, but I can still smell it." Johnny heard Eff inhale nostalgically. "I can smell homicide like a bloodhound can smell a body. And you still reek of it." He made a small nick on Johnny's shoulder.

"...Where's Squee?" Johnny asked, fighting to not let Mr. Fuck into his head again. "Where's Devi?"

Eff scowled at Johnny's resistance. "One-track mind," he muttered. He snapped his fingers and Psychodoughboy came into the room, dragging Devi with him, then threw her on the floor in front of Johnny.

"Devi!" he cried, struggling to get free. Devi sat up and backed away from the Doughboys. Mr. Eff walked up to her and snatched her up. "LET HER GO! DONT YOU DARE HURT HER!"

Eff ignored him and leered at Devi, eyeing her over. "I personally always thought you were lovely, Devi," he purred. "Unfortunately, I think a dead woman is more attractive than a live one...but I digress." He turned to Johnny. "I'm going to give you a choice, Johnny. You can either let Devi die here..." He pressed the blade up to her neck, making her whimper. "...Or you can die instead. Your call."

Johnny's jaw went slack. He hadnt had a suicidal thought in three years, since he got his life back on track. THe thought of dying now was no longer very appealing. But the thought of Devi dead...

"Dont kill her," he said after just a few short moments. "Just let her go. I'd never be able to forgive myself if she died." He looked up at Devi, tears shining in his eyes. "I still havent forgen myself for trying to hurt her."

Mr. Fuck rolled his eyes and dropped Devi. "You're pathetic, Johnny," he said, tapping the butcher knife against the Wall again. "Crying over a woman who cant stand the sight of you, let alone DYING for her." He sighed dramatically. "Say your goodbyes, Johnny, I doubt you'll be coming back this time."

Johnny looked at Devi, who had gone dead pale. "...I love you, Devi," he said. "I've always loved you. Please...take care of Todd. Dont let him turn out like me."

"You done yet?" Mr. Fuck asked impatiently. Johnny gave him an irritated look, but nodded. "Good." He raised the butcher knife over Johnny's neck.


	13. Chapter 13

**Freedom and Imprisonment**

**_'Hellooooo. Wake up.'_**

_'Who's calling me?'_

**_'Squee!'_**

_"Who are you?_'

_**'WAKEY-WAKEY, DREAMBOY!'**_

Todd jerked up, looking around wildly. He found himself sitting on a narrow plateau above clouds. "What...? What's going on?" he asked aloud.

"An awakening, I'd imagine."

Todd whipped around and 'squee-ed' when he saw what looked like an older teenage boy covered in thick scars. His eyes were blank of any color, with raw red rims around them, but Todd could see that they were plainly staring at him. The boy grinned familiarly. "Hey, Dreamboy," he said. "It's been awhile."

"S...Shmee?" Todd stuttered. "How...where...?"

"I've been here, Todd," Shmee replied. "All along, I've been here." He gestured around him. "But I've been blocked out of your consciousness. The part of your mind that dilutes the horrors of your life - the part where I dwell - was blocked from use. It made you susceptable to the Doughboys' influence, and without me, you fed them your imagination. And you, Todd, have the power to turn imagination into reality."

Todd stared at the form of Shmee, understanding what he was saying. "...Did I do the wrong thing, Shmee?" he asked.

"I cant say, Shmee replied. "You were destined to be a waste lock, regardless. I was created as a means to keep your sanity until puberty, when you would be able to hold your own mentality. But I was blocked, and that's why you were tapped so early in life."

"How did you get out?" Todd asked.

"Same way the Doughboys did. I fed from what was left of your imagination after they used it, and little by little dug myself out. Now, I'm here to help you."

"How?"

"BY speaking with conscious and logic. You need to break free of this place. You need to leave."

"But...what about Moose? Mr. Eff and D-Boy? I cant just - "

"Yes, you CAN," Shmee cut in. "There IS a way out. You just have to find it."

"But - !"

"You might want to wake up. You've stopped breathing."

* * *

Todd woke up with a gasp. He was lying in a large room in a lower level, one where there was no instruments of torture and killing. It looked more like a waiting room, really. He stood up and walked up the levels, wondering what Shmee meant that there was a way out. WHAT way out?

He trekked up to the floor with the Wall and paused when he heard voices.

"...please...take care of Todd. Dont let him turn out like me." Johnny?

"You done yet?" Mr. Fuck's voice said. "Good." Todd turned the corner to see the door open and a horrid scene unfolding.

D-Boy was blocking the doorway so that Devi couldnt escape. Johnny was sitting on his knees with his wirsts chained, making escape impossible. His eyes were clenched shut and his head bowed. Mr. Fuck was standing behind him, a large butcher knife raised and poised to strike.

"EFF! NO!" Todd ran into the room, knocking D-Boy over. He ran up to Eff and knocked the knife out of his hand. "What are you DOING!"

"It's for the best, Squee," Mr Eff replied, bending down to pick the knife back up. "Johnny here just traded his life for Devi's. And quite frankly, the Wall needs feeding anyway."

"NO!" Todd cried. "I dont CARE if the Wall needs blood! Dont take Johnny's or Devi's!"

Mr. Fuck scowled. "They are in the way of your job, Squee! Johnny would have taken you away! He just asked Devi to do the same! You BELONG here!"

"Dont listen to them!" Johnny shouted. "They speak lies! Just go with Devi, Todd! Get out of here - !" Mr. Fuck hit him in the back of the head with the hilt of the knife, cutting him off.

"Irritating mental tick," he muttered. "Squee's OUR boy now, Johnny. We've only a little more time before we're real, and I WONt let you screw this one up for me!" He raised the butcher knife again and was about to swing it when Todd leapt forward and shoved him hard, tackling him up to the Wall.

Mr. Eff's head struck the Wall hard, and the butcher knife sailed through the air and spun right into D-Boy's chest.

The world seemed to stop for a moment. Nobody moved or made a sound for the longest time. D-Boy shakily reached up to grab the handle of the knife, then pulled it out of himself with a 'shlick'. Crimson blood poured from the wound.

"...Shit..." Mr. Eff muttered. "...You're..." D-Boy fell to his knees before Eff could finish his sentence, coughing up blood. "You're DYING!"

"...No - *HACK* - shit, Sherlock...!" D-Boy sputtered. He put a hand over his wound. "Fuck...didnt think...it'd hurt this much...!"

Todd stood up and ran over to D-Boy, tears in his eyes. "I'm sorry!" he cried. "It's...it's my fault...!"

"No," D-Boy replied weakly. "...It's not." His eyes shifted to the ceiling, as though in pensieve thought. "...Todd...why do you think I wanted to be real?"

Todd wiped his eyes. "...I dont know," he replied, sniffling. D-Boy only grinned.

"So I could die."

Todd's eyes widened. "Wh...what?"

"Dont be so surprised, now," D-Boy said, putting a bloodied hand on Todd's head. "I was created..by the manifes...manifestation...of suicidal thought..." He took a moment to cough more blood up. "...It's only natural that...my sole meaning of existance...was...to cease to exist..."

Todd let out a fresh sob, and Mr. Fuck got to his feet. "You son of BITCH, D-Boy," he growled, wincing as he put a hand to his head. "You made me think that you had stopped this 'I dont want to exist' crap, and NOW I find that..." He paused and brought his fingers up to look at them.

They were covered in blood. Mr. Eff paled and whipped around to see a small bloodsmear on the Wall where his head had hit. "...Oh...oh fuck, no...!"

Johnny turned his head to look and blinked. "What's the big deal?" he asked. "You just got some blood on the Wall."

"IT'S NOT SO SIMPLE, YOU IDIOT!" Mr. Eff screamed. "Now I really AM fucked!"

Todd blankly wondered why Mr. Eff was freaking out so badly.

-'It's one of the rules of the Barrier,'- Shmee's voice said. -'Mr. Fuck is human now. And when living human blood is given to the Wall straight from a living source...'-

"...They're the new Lock," Todd finished.

"What?" Johnny asked.

"Mr. Eff is the new waste lock," Todd replied, running up to Johnny and unlocking the shackles. "His blood on the Wall - it's tapped him!"

"NO!" Mr. Fuck screeched, pounding his fists on the Wall. "NO! I JUST GOT DONE BEING A SLAVE! I DONT WANT THIS! NO!"

"...There's no choice," Johnny said, standing and rubbing his wrists. "...You're always a slave to something." He turned to Todd. "...Let's go, Todd. You're free from this."

Todd bit his lip and looked around. Mr. Fuck was wailing to the Wall to let him go. Psychodoughboy was bleeding to death on the floor. Devi passed out from the shock of it all. And Todd knew that NOW was his chance to finally be happy. He wiped his eyes and nodded, and Johnny picked Devi up.

"Todd."

Todd looked at D-Boy, who he knew was right at death's door. "...You're free...from this..." he gasped, struggling to speak. "...But...you'll never...truely...escape it...You can repress it...you can ignore it...but it's always there..." His body went limp, his once-spiraled eyes now plain black and cloudy with death. Todd clenched his eyes shut and willed himself to not cry.

"Come on, Squee," Johnny said softly. Todd nodded and followed Johnny out of the basement and into the living room, where Johnny put Devi down on the couch. "Wait here with her," he said. "I have something to do."

Todd watched Devi quietly, waiting for her to wake up. He didnt have to wait long. Devi woke up just a few minutes later, rubbing her eyes. "...Devi?" She jumped a little. "Sorry, sorry!" he cried. "You're okay!"

She sat up and looked around. "What...the hell happened just now?" she demanded. Todd wrung his hands.

"...I'm free," he said. "I'm not the waste lock anymore. Mr. Eff is the lock now." He explained everything from the time she passed out. She groaned and leaned back on the couch.

"...What now?" she asked Todd. He shrugged.

"I dont know," he said. "...Johnny said I could go live with him. I think...I'd like that."

"You would?" she asked skeptically.

"Yeah," Todd replied. "He told me about his new life now. He says he lives in a nice neighborhood, has a good job, and he really likes his life." He paused. "...Devi, do you like art?"

"Yes," she replied. "I'm a painter." Todd got up and walked over to a wall, then plucked a painting off and handed it to her. "This is amazing," she breathed. "Who...?" Her eyes trailed down to the insignia - J.C. "...Johnny?"

"He used to be amazing," Todd said. "There are dozens of these around the house. He painted these before the Wlal took it from him. But he's getting it back. He's really trying." He looked at the painting with her.

"...I never knew," she murmured. "...Johnny always did have an unusual appreciation for art, but I never knew he was THIS good...I'm nowhere NEARas good as this!" She stared at the painting for awhile before Johnny came back in.

"I got us a hotel for the night," he said. "Just pack what you need, and we'll..." He paused, seeing Devi. "...Hello, Devi."

Devi lowered the painting. "Hello, Johnny."

Awkward silence.

"I'll...go pack," Todd said, rushing to the bedroom, leaving Devi and Johnny alone. Johnny shifted awkwardly where he stood.

"Devi - "

"Johnny," Devi cut in, holding up a hand. He closed his mouth. She took a deep breath. "Johnny...I forgive you."

"...What?" Johnny said, looking incredulous.

"I forgive you. For everything." Devi's fingers stroked the sides of the canvas in her lap. "It's no use trying to keep hating you...After what I've seen tonight..."

"I hated myself, you know," Johnny added. "I never forgave myself for hurting you. I feared that if I kept wanting you, that I'd do something else to hurt you. That's why I left. But I never forgot you. Never stopped caring for you." He took a deep breath. "...Even if never seeing me again keeps you safe, I'd be happy knowing you were better off."

Devi sighed and shook her head. "You give me your nothing," she quoted. "Funny...it sounded like total bullshit then..." She glanced around the room, noticing more paintings like the one in her hands. "You're going to take care of Todd?"

"Of course," Johnny replied.

"He's a smart kid. You better make sure he stays in school!"

"There's a good middle school near where I live, with competent teachers, so that's no problem. I live in a good neighborhood, nice people, low crime rate...no residential homicidal maniac..." He paused. "...There's a very nice bookstore there, too..."

"Dont do that, Johnny," Devi said, gently but firmly. That was all she said. Johnny ran a hand through his thinnning hair and then took a pen and paper out of his backpack. He wrote something down and handed it to Devi.

"Here," he said. "...In case you want to come visit...Todd...if you want."

Devi pocketed the paper. "I'll think about it."

"I'm ready." They both turned to see Todd standing in the doorway, holding a large rucksack of items, Shmee tucked uner his arm. Johnny took the rucksack and slung it over his shoulder.

"Me too," he replied, looking at Devi. "If Eff comes after you, kick his ass. Stay safe, Devi." He put a hand on Todd's back and led him out of the house. Devi followed and got into her car, noticing that the sun was coming up. Todd and Johnny got into the car Todd had hotwired some time ago and looked over at Devi before driving away.

Devi sat in her car for a moment, then looked over at the house, nearly jumping when she saw Mr. Fuck staring out the window at her. She stared back, then looked away and drove off, away from that house forever.


	14. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

Johnny waved back at Todd as the boy boarded the schoolbus. He sipped his black cherry-flavored coffee and picked up his paintbrush to continue his painting. It was a nice day out on his apartment balcony, and it was his day off; he had a painting to finish by tomorrow for an exhibit at the art festival.

He drained his cup and absently thought back to the past month. Todd had a few nightmares for the first week in his new home that Johnny had to help him through, but they made it through, night by night. Todd enjoyed his new school and it's advanced reading and writing classes, and even made friends.

Johnny had taken a second job at a music store, which seriously tested his homicidal restraint, but it - thankfully - held. Todd was worth it.

At noon, he decided tot ake a break and go into town for some groceries and more supplies. He drove to the arts and crafts store to browse and picked up some new paints, then headed to the grocery store for something other than roman, knowing that Todd needed good, nutritious food. After buying some things Todd liked, he back in the car and began to drive home, and nearly slammed on the brakes when he saw someone sitting on a bench on the bus stop.

"Devi...?"

He took a few turns and drove up to the bus stop to make sure. It was. She sitting on the bench with a duffel bag, looking at her watch. Johnny held his breath as the drive right next to her. "Hey," he said, leaning out the window. "Can I give you a ride anywhere?"

"Oh, no thank y- Johnny?"

Johnny gave her a half smile. "...Yeah," he replied. "Um...you going my way, by any chance?"

Devi looked at him for a moment, then grabbed her duffel and walked over to the car. "I suppose, she replied. Johnny unlocked the car door and let her in, then drove back to his apartment in time for the bust to drop Todd off. They got out of the car and Johnny waved Todd, who waved back, then saw Devi.

"DEVI!" He ran up to her and hugged her around the middle. Devi hugged him back. "Devi! You came to visit?"

"Yeah," she replied, petting his head. "Just for a few days, at least." She glanced over at Johnny, who was getting Devi's duffel bag for her. "You want to show me where you live?"

"Sure!" Todd grabbed her hand and raced up the stairs to the fourth floor, Johnny trailing behind them with the duffel and groceries. Todd went into the apartment and Devi looked around. It was well put together, clean, and of course filled with paintings. They werent as good as the one she still had in her possession, but they were still very good. The kitchen was clean and stocked. Todd's bedroom was filled with books, notebooks, and a typewriter. Shmee lay contently on his bed.

There was a small balcony that was was pleasant and covered, with a table and two chairs. Devi was surprised to see that lying peacefully on the balcony were two black cats. When the door opened, the cats darted inside and onto the couch to stare at her with pretty yellow eyes.

"I see you've met our two tenants," Johnny said, putting the duffel and grocery bags on the kitchen table. "Devi, meet Edgar and Vargas." The cats only mewed and licked themselves. "Little freeloaders. Anyway, this is it. Our home."

"It's great," Devi replied. And it was; it had more personality than her own home, anyway. The clsoest thing she had to a pet was Tenna. She petted one of the cats, who purred.

"What's for dinner?" Todd asked, taking off his backpack.

"Chicken, broccoli, and rice," Johnny replied. "Go wash up and start on your homework."

"'Kay," Todd said, taking his backpack to his room. Devi turned to Johnny.

"You seem to be catching onto this parenting thing really quickly," she commented. Johnny smiled and turned to the kitchen.

"I know," he replied, getting out what he needed. "It came pretty naturally, to be honest." He sighed. "I just want a better life for him. Better than I ever had."

Devi understood what Johnny was saying. She didnt have the best of childhoods, either. She watched Johnny make the dinner in silence for some time.

"So, where are you staying for this visit?" Johnny asked. Devi shrugged.

"I dont know, " she said. "A hotel, I guess."

"I dont think so," Johnny said, not even looking up from his cooking. "You're here to visit, so visit. Stay here. There's plenty of room. Todd's got Friday off from school, and I can easily get three more days off. So stay."

Devi blinked. "I dont want to intrude -"

"It's not if you're invited."

Well, who could argue with that logic?

"...Okay. Until Sunday."

"Deal. TODD! COMES SET THE TABLE!"

-

_-'She'll stay forever.'-_

Todd smiled at Shmee, closing his notebook.

"I know, Shmee. I'm counting on it." He left to go set the table and watch his new fate unfold.

* * *

Back in another city in a decrepit house, a lone solitary figure painted a wall with blood from a body on the floor. All of a sudden, he dropped the brush and clutched at his head.

Visions. Every night. EVERY night, he had visions from Squee - visions of freedom and happiness. Proof that Moose hated him and wanted him to be miserable.

Right now, he could see a little domestic scene - a parental figure asking his kid how his schoolwork was. The kid chatting away about a story writing contest. The parent smiling interestedly and gazing over the table at his apparent love interest, whose war-hardened and over-cautious heart softened and told her that THIS was finally IT.

Mr. Fuck glared at the Wall, his pupils contracting at the sight of it. He almost had his freedom. But still - forevermore - he was a slave. A slave to a damned WALL!

"I hate you..." he growled to the Wall. He threw the paintbrush at it and turned to stumble out of the room. "I hate you...I hate you..."

**THE END**

_**Of this story, anyway. I have a sequel planned that will be entitled "Bye Bye Beautiful", so watch out for it! Thanks for your reviews!**_


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